Jose Marti, Maximo Gomez and their troops took off at 03:00 in the morning, under candle lights. They took a break
under a cluster of palm trees, from where they could see the sea to the south. A hunter brought news from Imias that Spanish
troops were chasing them.

1930

The first 8 poems of Nicolas Guillen’s “Motivos del son” were published by “El Diario de la Marina.” They had the verbal
rhythm of “Son” and the tune of Havana City black people. According to Guillen: “They drew the eyes of official critics towards
a phenomenon that so far had not been regarded as important, or rather as existent: the role of black people in national
culture.”

21

1898

The United States interfered in the Spanish-Cuban war.

1879

Jose Marti spoke at a tribute to journalist Adolfo Marquez Sterling in the upper floor of “El Louvre” café, in Havana City.
He demanded immediate, distinct and effective solutions to the Cuban issue.

1895

Jose Marti and Maximo Gomez knew of General Flor Crombet’s death in the vicinity of San Antonio, where they had been
headed since 06:00 in the morning.

1958

Camilo Cienfuegos received notice from Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, where he was appointed Military Commander of
the triangle between the cities of Bayamo, Manzanillo and Victoria de Las Tunas. He would thereafter fight many successful battles
in his campaign across the plains next to Cauto River.

1959

The revolutionary government decreed unrestricted public use of Cuban beaches and seashores.

Commander in Chief Fidel Castro spoke at the solemn ceremony for the centennial of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin’s birthday in
“Karl Marx” theater. He stressed the influence of the brilliant Russian politician on Cuban revolutionaries. Fidel said: “In
the months prior to July 26 1953, most of the young men involved in those activities usually carried Marx’s and Lenin’s books.
We always drew conclusions from Lenin’s books that turned out to be crucial.”

1895

Day of impatient waiting for Jose Marti. He was also grieving the death of General Flor Crombet, whom somebody saw
“...lying dead, with his cold beautiful head, a broken lip and two bullet wounds in his chest.”

1898

Beginning of US naval siege on Cuba.

1915

Opening of Havana National Theater.

1959

During his private visit to the United States, Fidel privately met the Secretary General of the United Nations, Dag
Hammarskjöld. Later on, Fidel was invited to a lunch with foreign correspondents at the UN and told them that Cuba would act
with absolute independence in that organization.

1966

Over 8 000 high school students and teachers started in Camagüey the first experience of countryside boarding schools,
when they joined agricultural works in different areas of that province.

24

1961

US president John F. Kennedy publicly admitted his responsibility in the invasion to Playa Giron and Playa Larga. After
the defeat of the mercenary brigade, Kennedy had no other choice, because hundreds of prisoners had confessed that they had
been hired, trained, armed and sent by the CIA.

1863

First experience of mechanized farming in Latin America at the “Concepcion” sugar mill, one of the largest of the world in
those days. The test was made with a steam plough that had been exhibited in Paris the year before.

1974

Commander in Chief Fidel Castro attended the inauguration of the first apartments building erected by Micro-brigades at
La Coronela neighborhood in Havana City.

1980

Writer Alejo Carpentier died in Paris where he served as Cultural Counselor in the Cuban Embassy. The author of “The Century
of Lights” renovated contemporary novel writing and recreated the real and marvelous of the Caribbean.

26

1895

A warring journey for Jose Marti, who inched his way across the woods through slashing thorns and whipping weeds with
Maximo Gomez and a few men escort. As they neared Arroyo Hondo, they heard shots. On the way to the battlefield they met the
victorious Cubans and were told that Jose Maceo’s troops had successfully engaged enemy forces.

1895

Marti wondered in his campaign diary “Why I am not appalled at the blood I saw on the way?” After sleeping for a few hours
at the foot of a tree, the Delegate sought for medicines in his backpack to assist the wounded. He gathered all and with the
kind help of Paquito Borrero, he cured them.

1959

Commander Camilo Cienfuegos spoke at a demonstration in Zulueta, in the center of the country. The town had been recently
freed by the invading column, which declared him adoptive son. The Master of the Forefront humbly said that those who gave their
lives for the Homeland were more entitled to such honors. He then asked the local citizens to accompany him to lay a flower wreath
to Jose Marti and together pledge loyalty to the Revolution. In the meantime, Fidel, in the last day of his official visit to
the United States, delivered a lecture at Harvard University. He had previously met students of the Universities of Princeton
and Columbia.

1961

US president John F. Kennedy decreed a full embargo of the exports of that country to Cuba.

1962

Death in Guanabacoa of Miguel Valdes Garcia, at the age of 81. He was one of the founders of the first Cuban Communist
Party.

1967

Cuban internationalist fighter Eliseo Reyes Rodríguez (San Luis) died in Bolivian jungles. Commander Ernesto Guevara said
the day when the dear captain died was a “black day.” He had joined war in Sierra Maestra Mountain Range at the early age of 17.
Che wrote in his campaign diary: “We have lost the best man of the guerilla.”

1976

Burial of Adriana Corcho and Efren Monteagudo in Havana. They were killed in a bombing perpetrated by the CIA against
the Cuban Embassy in Portugal.

1869

Dismissal of the Camagüey Assembly.

27

1963

Commander in Chief Fidel Castro paid an official visit to the USSR.

1879

Jose Marti spoke in a tribute to fiddler Rafael Diaz Albertini, at the Guanabacoa Lyceum and said: “Children should
serve their mother, but every man should serve his Homeland.” In his speech, Marti managed to spur his countrymen’s love for
Cuba. The Spanish governor Ramon Blanco was present and had to reckon: “I never thought anyone would dare to say such things
in front of me. That man, Marti, may be a lunatic, but he is a dangerous one.”

1876

General Maximo Gomez boldly attacks Ciego de Avila, in search of supplies. It was a stronghold for the concentration
of troops in the middle of the Jucaro-Moron by-path.

1959

Commander in Chief Fidel Castro made a statement to Cuban radio stations when the plane that took him from the USA
to Argentine flew over Cuba. He advanced the views that he would advocate in the Conference of the 21, held in Buenos Aires
shortly afterwards. “It is time to find effective solutions to the greatest sources of concern and social, economic and
political upheavals in our continent. They are underdevelopment and the chronic economic that all the Latin American countries
are undergoing.”

28

1872

Cespedes vetoed the Military Organization bill passed by the House of Representatives.

1957

Photograph of the historical image of Fidel, Raul and a group of rebels holding their guns and singing the national
anthem at the Turquino Peak. This symbolical picture was taken by journalist Bob Taber and cameraman Wendell Hoffman, from
Columbia Broadcasting System. It was part of a documentary film, which that TV network would broadcast next month from
Sierra Maestra Mountain Range.

1895

At 09:00 in the morning, Jose Marti and Maximo Gomez harangued the troops based in Camp Philippines, in Baracoa Hills.
Day of intense work since dawn. They sent memorandums to field officers; letters to likely friends; another one to open
the mail and ammunition supply service and instructions for Bartolome Maso, Felix Ruenes and Jose Maceo, whom was appointed
Major General.

1910

Scholar, journalist and patriot Martin Morua Delgado died in Santiago de las Vegas.

1959

The Council of Ministers passed a law for the foundation of Casa de Las Americas, barely 4 months after the triumph
of the Revolution. Haydee Santamaria, its first president, gave the institution an air of brotherhood that would make it
the true house of intellectuals in the continent.

1980

Fidel y Raul attended the funeral of Alejo Carpentier, in Colon cemetery. The illustrious writer had died in Paris o
n April 24, while serving as Cultural Counselor at the Cuban Embassy in France.

29

1956

Attack to the Goicuria Garrison in Matanzas. 15 young combatants killed, including Reynold Garcia.

1960

Commander in Chief Fidel Castro handed over the Goicuria Garrison to the Ministry of Education.

30

1896

Battle of Cacarajicara. The Cuban liberation troops, under Antonio Maceo’s command, wrote a glorious page of our history.